The New York Knicks season has wrapped up and was in several ways a major disappointment. And it probably goes without saying that the most polarizing topic this year for the team was the Julius Randle situation.
For a more condensed version of this topic, go and check out my “3 negative takeaways” article. There, I dedicated a slide to how Randle was a major catalyst for New York’s downward spiral in the standings.
It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to wrap your head around all that was Randle this season. Fittingly, much of what will be talked about here is built on the undeniable fact that Randle’s success as a player bears heavily on his mental strength.
What went wrong with Julius Randle in the 2021-22 season?
As the title of this article implies, I am not a doctor or a psychologist or anything of the sort. I am, however, one of the many Knicks fans who had a front-row seat to the 2021-22 “Beyblade Circus” (as I now call it).
The statistical and emotional developments we witnessed from Randle this year deserves its own mini-documentary, let alone its own article on this site. If you’re reading this and decide to do the former, make sure to send me the final cut. I’m sticking to using my keyboard to explore this story.
The slide I mentioned inspired me to expand in more detail on Randle’s journey this season compared to last season and how unexpectedly complex his decisions and their consequences have been.
Ultimately, the goal of this piece is to encapsulate the stats and moments that made Randle’s season so unique, odd, and downright frustrating. This is a big one. Here we go.